Scent Detection Blog

Our FREE Handling Scent During COVID-19 barkinar is now open for registration.
Apr 12, 2020 07:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Host: Dr. Carla Simon, MD, BSc, MBA | Hunter’s Heart K9 Scent Detection Training
Live on Zoom
Register at: https://scentdetection.huntersheart.com/pl/160983

Here's what we'll cover:
* Review of how we usually make scent detection hides
* How to create hides when you don't have any gloves (after COVID-19 shortages) 
* Proofing off of handler scent
* Lessons learned from bed bug inspections
* How to avoid the most common odor hygiene errors
* Please email questions in advance to [email protected].

I hope you can join the discussion. 

Here are the 13 supplies you need in your scent kit, so you can efficiently make hides and ensure proper odor hygiene. 

Pro Tip: make your hides at home, not in the field. At home there is no wind, and you have time to be careful and avoid contamination. For safety, avoid bringing glass into the field because it’s breakable, which could hurt dogs and handlers.

For your convenience, I've included some links to purchase items on amazon.ca so you can see what similar items look like. I am not an affilitate, and earn no revenue if you choose to purchase or not. 

1. Sharpie marker or pen
   • Use a marker or pen to label all containers.
   • Tip: put a post-it-note inside your pelican case and write down the number of hides in and out (comparing how many hides you place in the search environment vs. how many you pick up when you’re done, will ensure you recover them all.)
   • If you’re placing several hides, writing down the hide locations while you place each of them...

Stuck at home in social isolation and looking for something to do? Don't get stuck in a rut. Here's some fun ideas for how to set up for training scent detection at home. 

Hiding Food

Many trainers hide food inside Kongs and stuffable food balls, in snuffle mats (like a deep shaggy rug), and amidst the grass in their yard to introduce puppies to finding food. Or fill a kiddie pool with safe balls or empty plastic bottles and hide the food at the bottom. Beyond that, there are innumerable opportunities to explore in the diverse world of scent detection. Newbies looking to learn how to use a scent detection kit for practicing at home can learn more at: Scent Detection Kit Instructions and Supplies for Nosework. Whatever your discipline, read on for some fresh ideas.

Use What You Have

Use what you have around you. Much to our delight, one of our students brought a small wine rack to class, replaced all the wine with a hide, and we simply rotated the rack to move the...

Welcome to the Hunter's Heart store and learning management platform for our online courses.

Looking for older blog posts? Check out our wordpress blog at https://nosework.huntersheart.com/blog/

We've been sniffing since 1999, and aim to update our protocols, courses and articles, as knowledge about canine olfaction continues to grow.

Sometimes it's a struggle to adapt and keep pace. Thank you for your patience. When I graduated from the University of Toronto in 1995, I was working on a mainframe, and carrying floppy discs. I remember reading (paper) books to learn about the developing world wide web.  Online searches were long, tedious, hard work with frequently disappointing results. The scanned photo in this post is from my (paper) scrapbook from when we had only 1 dog, and 5 ferrets, each with their own lessons to teach. We've come a long way since then. 

Throughout all, my canine partners have kept life real. No matter what I'm working on, they never...